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We have seen unprecedented levels of donkeys and mules coming in our care. With the recent influx of donkeys we are now reaching full capacity on our farms and are in desperate need for space to create room for more donkeys that are in need of rescue.

A donkey with a seriously open wound and painfully overgrown hooves greeted one of our welfare officers when she visited two donkeys in Co. Mayo. Left there in December 2013, Liam and Bartley were in significant pain.

Three year old Bartley had long and split hooves and old scars on his face, while two year old Liam had an open wound on his rear flank.

We sprang into action and calls were made to a vet and farrier to deal with their immediate needs before transferring them both to our Sanctuary.

Sometimes we have to rescue donkeys despite the love they receive from their owners. On a cold and wet January morning Eugene Butler, our lorry driver, was at a motorway service station in Co. Kildare when he was approached by another truck driver. He was gravely concerned about six donkeys he'd spotted on his journey from Bandon in Co. Cork. With flood waters rising fast, these donkeys were in real trouble.

It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of Daisy O. At the grand old age of 53, Daisy was one of our oldest donkey residents and was hugely loved by all who knew her from farm staff to the vets and visitors.

A beautiful white donkey, Daisy will be remembered as being a gentle donkey with a real cheeky streak. She would do anything to secure an extra feed, often standing at the gate braying loudly to make sure our farm staff knew she was hungry and wanted her feed.

Have you ever dreamed of doing a parachute jump and experience the exhilarating feeling of jumping from an aircraft at 10,000 feet and freefalling before your parachute opens at around 5,000 feet allowing you to soak up the fabulous views as you slowly descend.

Animal welfare groups across Ireland have called for micro-chipping, neutering and vaccinating of pets to become mandatory.

Albert Kleyn, co-founder of the Cork Animal Care Society, explains the importance of these procedures, and says they need become a requirement for pet owners, sooner rather than later. He also said that the recently introduced Protection of Animals Act 2012 is too weak and missed out on the neutering and micro-chipping requirement.